Member ECP in awe of changing 100,000 votes

Karachi: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Wednesday reserved its decision regarding NA-235 and NA-236 Karachi.

During the hearing, Member Election Commission Babar Hassan Bharwana said that he is surprised that who can dare to change more than 100,000 votes. There are complaints of Form-45 from around the country. How can commission scrutinize hundred thousand of forms?

The hearing of election pretense in the Election Commission continues on the eleventh day. During the hearing, Member Sindh Nisar Durrani and Member Punjab Babar Hassan Bharwana heard on the pretense of NA-235 and NA-236 Karachi.

ECP member Babar Hassan said: “There are complaints of Form-45 from all over the country. Today is the last day to give decision on 50 applications”.

Sindh Election Commission member Nisar Durrani stated that Returning Officers (ROs) of NA-235 and NA-236 have submitted their reports. Should these cases be sent to the election tribunals?

Counsel for the petitioner contended that they have only one plea that there is a difference between Form-45 and Form-47. The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed the Election Commission to announce the decision by February 22.

The Election Commission has to decide between the original and fake Form-45. If the results are made on fake Form-45, then the results of the constituency have to be declared null and void, added the lawyer.

The petitioner's lawyer further stated that according to the Election Act, the ECP can pronounce decisions on these petitions, four political parties have same Form-45, while Mutahidda Qoumi Movement-Pakistan’s (MQM-P) Form-45 is different.

According to the Form-45, Saif-ur-Rehman got 1,13,000 votes, while only 1100 votes were written in Form-47. It is the responsibility of the ECP to determine this and prevent such fraud in the future. The Commission can also hire the services of a forensic company to investigate Form-45, continued to petitioner.

The Election Commission has reserved its decision on NA-235 and NA-236 Karachi election pretenses.